If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

I just got back from a short two day backpack trip in the Kootenays not far into the mountains near where I live. My hunting partner and I packed 4km into a road closure before finding a nice little camp site with a million dollar view of Kootenay lake. We saw two bears the first day, if either had given me the opportunity I would have shot. The first was a gorgeous reddish brown colour and a decent size, the second was a smaller bear but I'm not looking for a trophy so either would have legal if they had just stuck around. The second bear actually ambled through our camp before we noticed him 40-50m away from our tents. He was gone before I could get to my rifle. The next day(today) we had elk and mule deer wander through while we were packing up, we had 10 elk,4 mule deer, and a bear within 100m or less of our tents/camp. I think we may have stumbled upon a very productive little hotspot. I can't wait to hunt elk, deer, and bear from there this fall. I was glassing animals the whole time right from camp, make a cup of tea, grab the binoculars and find a nice cozy backrest. It was a blast.

Minam state park campground has a nice cinnamon bear raiding trash cans and campsites. threw rocks, and hit him with them, yelled and tried scaring him out of there. eventualyy sat at the end of my tail gate with my pistol in my hand with the warning shot circle 20feet out in my head, and the shooting circle 5 feet out. he stopped 25 feet from my truck. we had a little stair down, and he eventually left. the whole episode took about a half hour, from first seeing him and trying to shoo him away until he finally left.

one of the most intense and not fun encounters in my life and i have been charged by grizzlies before.

What happen to the ol' trusty 30-30 Joe? Looks like you have a new friend in the background!

I thought I wanted to be able to kill one from a distance. Spotted this boar at 475 yards and adjusted the scope for the shot and got on the bear but it didn't feel right so I snuck up on him. 30-30 would have loved to have been there! This bear went farther than any I've killed with the 30-30...it will see more spring bear action!

I thought I wanted to be able to kill one from a distance. Spotted this boar at 475 yards and adjusted the scope for the shot and got on the bear but it didn't feel right so I snuck up on him. 30-30 would have loved to have been there! This bear went farther than any I've killed with the 30-30...it will see more spring bear action!

He'll of a shot.....I would have still snuck up on him no matter what distance I shot him at but congratulations on a nice bear. And I love to see bear photos....I had my string of drawing the snake for spring bear broken this year and didn't get to hunt this year. So August 1 I will have my bow in hand and call in mouth! Thanks for sharing.